Science proves how art instantly busts stress

Dec 4, 2017

Life can feel pretty busy, don’t you agree?

There’s (work) related ambition and projects, awesome people to spend time with, new things to learn and places to explore… And, off course, you want to eat healthy, stay fit, live in a pretty home, “make an impact that matters”…

(- sorry, that last branded catchphrase came from my boyfriend Patrick who worked at Deloitte ;-)).

Long story short: much to do and little time

And, when times get particularly busy, my instinct says: “Do more! Do it now!”. Jep: maybe a nice get-it-done mentality. But not a necessarily good one. Nor fun. Nor relaxed. And – this is an interesting and paradox one: nor effectiv

A new and fun approach.

I decided to stop managing my time and start managing my focus. This also includes focused moments of not being ‘productive’. And, I’ve found a science-based activity that helps me – someone who kinda fears sitting still and ‘doing nothing’ – realise those essential regular brain-vacations.

Maybe you already felt it coming: I’m talking about painting 🙂

When creating, it’s just my hands and eyes working together. Allowing me to drift off to a creation flow. My heart and not my brain is in the lead. It makes me forget about time, to-do lists and the persistent tendency to always analyse/think.

Really, it’s awesome.

Best thing? Expressed creativity works relaxation wonders for everyone.

A scientific study published in the Journal of American Art Therapy shows we can all benefit from the positive psychological effects of creativity. It found making art instantly lowers stress hormone levels.

This is regardless of skill-level or talent. So, even if you have the limiting believe you’re devoid of any artistic capabilities, creating instantly reduces stress for you as well.

So, let’s get going!

Get away from the computer, put away your phone and other distracting devices. Grab the good stuff: pencils, markers, clay, stickers, paper sheets, glitters, anything! Don’t think about it too much and start relieving that stress 🎉

It’s not the end result that matters, it’s the creative process.

Let’s me hear in the comments if you’ve tried this stress-busting method. And, if it worked for you…